Tewksbury man ID'd as victim in N.H. crash

CHESTERFIELD, N.H. -- A truck driver from Tewksbury, Mass., was killed in a crash on Route 9 on Wednesday night, when the tractor-trailer he was driving jackknifed and slid into an embankment.

New Hampshire State Police on Thursday identified the victim as 53-year-old Fritz Etienne.

State Police say troopers responded to the scene, about 9:51 p.m. Authorities say the accident was one of several, Wednesday night, including the rollover of a pickup truck, within a quarter-mile stretch along Route 9 near Friedsam Drive.

Chesterfield Fire Chief Jeff Chickering said the fatal collision and other more minor incidents were not surprising because the roads were "treacherously icy" on Wednesday.

According to police, Etienne was traveling westbound on Route 9 when his trailer began to slide due to the icy road conditions. This caused the trailer to "jackknife" and go off the westbound lane and into a snow-covered embankment. A statement released by the police states it appears the victim attempted to get out of the vehicle following the accident.

The tractor-trailer came to a stop on the westbound shoulder, with the tractor portion facing east and the trailer portion pointing northwest. According to police, Etienne was pinned underneath the vehicle. Members of the Chesterfield fire and police departments tried unsuccessfully to extract him. Etienne succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the State Police.

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The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information relevant to the case is asked to call Trooper Rich Camacho at 603-358-3333.

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